04/28 — It was Rainout Theater tonight at Shea Stadium, and fans of the Green & White know that means a doubleheader was washed out: the Mets' game with the Pittsburgh Pirates and the "Jets Night at Shea" ceremonies that were to commemorate the Jets' 20 seasons of playing at the Flushing ballpark in its last year of life.

But I still trekked out from my Jersey shore palace because there was work to be done and people to talk to. Specifically, when I arrived and went to the Jets' old Shea locker room — yes, the room is still there, although it's used mostly for Mets overflow pregame news conferences now — there were some great names from the Jets past who had already shown up in case the festivities could get under way.

Fullback Emerson Boozer and cornerback Randy Beverly were both in attendance from the Super Bowl III-era Jets and wideout Wesley Walker represented the Jets of the early Eighties who nearly made a return trip to the Big Dance after the '82 season.

Also on hand just in case were five members of the Jets Flight Crew — Ryann, Gina G., Gina C., Courtney and Laura — plus one very important artifact that was earned in part from the blood and sweat of those Shea-hey days of the late Sixties: the Super Bowl III trophy.

A few Mets luminaries and media members stopped by as well. Howard Johnson, now a Mets coach and once an Amazin's slugger, reminisced with Walker, with whom he once taped a TV commercial. Jay Horwitz, my good friend who is the Mets' longtime public relations director, came in to schmooze with Boozer. Also in the house were Kevin Burkhardt, who's moved from WFAN show host and Jets beat reporter to the fast track as SNY's roving reporter, and the FAN's Ed Coleman, who also worked the Jets beat for the radio station in the past.

I'm going to file a Radar entry Tuesday morning on my reminiscences with Boozer, Beverly and Walker, but I wanted to let everyone know that although this "Jets Night at Shea" was rained out, the two old stadium mates are getting together to plan another night to reminisce among themselves and with the fans.

Back to the Draft

My apologies to any of you who sent comments to the Radar during the afternoon and evening. Because of the Shea situation, I wasn't able to clear the decks until about 8:45 p.m. Your comments are up now and I thank you for your patience. Also thanks to everyone who checked in with us during the draft. Your thoughts and opinions certainly provided plenty of food for thought.

Just to make sure you're aware, this year the Jets' rookie minicamp is not two weekends after the draft but one. All draft choices and undrafted free agent signees and tryout invites will be reporting to Weeb Ewbank Hall on Thursday and working out Friday through Sunday. There will be media availability Friday and Saturday, so be sure to check your favorite media outlet this weekend on the Jets' Class of '08. And hopefully, one of your favorite outlets is newyorkjets.com.

And just to remind you of team policy, we can't confirm or deny any reports of signings of those undrafted free agents, even though those reports began filtering out late Sunday night and will continue all this week. We will provide the list of FAs when it's made official later this week and Eric Allen and I will be talking to the new guys all this weekend.